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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28699380">Looking Back, Looking Forward</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlocked/pseuds/starlocked'>starlocked</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Star's Soulmate September 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dukexiety - Freeform, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Rosleep, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, Soulmates, Tattoos, platonic remile, reposting separate from the rest of the story, tired of people telling me it ruins the flow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:40:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>765</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28699380</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlocked/pseuds/starlocked</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A few scenes from before and after the events of When Can I See You Again?<br/>Remy gets a tattoo on his 17th birthday.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Sleep | Remy Sanders, Dr. Emile Picani &amp; Sleep | Remy Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Star's Soulmate September 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905370</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Looking Back, Looking Forward</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Content Warning for implied Self Harm<br/>Written for Day 2 of Soulmate September</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Are you sure about this, Rem? There haven't been a lot of studies on the effects of tattoo removal methods on soul marks, what if you change your mind?" Emile paced the cramped tattoo parlor while the artist disinfected Remy's wrist.</p><p>"Yes, I am certain that I never want to look at this clock again, girl. I've planned this for months now," Remy sipped his coffee and rolled his eyes at his worried friend.</p><p>"Yeah, but-"</p><p>"But nothing! You don't have to stay if you don't like it," Remy glanced down at the clock on his wrist one last time. It was counting down to sometime during school the next day but he would never see it reach 00:00:00. </p><p>"I just don't want you to throw away an opportunity to be happy, Rem. You can at least understand why it's touchy for me, right? I want to be a good friend, I really do. It's hard to watch you do this," Emile sighed, glancing at the Xs on his own wrist. The memory was still too fresh and painful, even if they hadn't been a romantic partner. He shook his head, bangs falling into his eyes. Now wasn't the time to mourn Xadin. Now was the time to be present for Remy.</p><p>"Babe, trust me. I know what I want. This is the right decision for me," Remy smiled at the artist who was prepping a stencil just large enough to cover the soul mark. "Ooh a rose is gonna look killer, thank you, gurl! I get myself the best birthday presents. "</p><p>The artist smiled, flipping on the machine.</p>
<hr/><p>Roman often admired the rose tattoo. He sat curled into Remy's side on the couch, tracing the lines of the petals.</p><p>"Do you ever regret it, love?" he asked gently.</p><p>"Mm, no. I still think soulmates are overrated," Remy stuck a tongue out at the offended gasp from his boyfriend. He held Roman's wrist and traced the zeros slowly. "I'm just lucky mine doesn't mind dating a slut."</p><p>"I mean I could have done worse," Roman grinned.</p><p>"You certainly tried!"</p><p>"Yeah, but I think finding you was worth some pain."</p><p>"Oh honey, I am so sorry but you need to stop lying to yourself," Remy shifted to grab his coffee from the table, "I am worth <em>everything</em>."</p><p>"You wish! You are a pain. But you're my pain. And my everything," Roman reached up to cup the other's cheek in his hand, planting a kiss on his lips. "Love you."</p><p>"Love you too, you stubborn romantic fool."</p><p>"Okay, gay ass drifter."</p><p>"Are you going to keep insulting me or kissing me?"</p><p>"Mm, why not both?" Roman gave him another kiss which was quickly returned.</p><p>The kitchen door swung open and shut hard, voices murmuring from the kitchen. Remus and Virgil walked into the living room hand in hand, stopping in the doorway as Remus noticed the two tangled together on the couch.</p><p>"Uh oh, Virge, looks like the couch is taken," Remus snickered and Virgil blushed in secondhand embarrassment.</p><p>"Oh shove off, you two," Remy groaned as Roman threw an empty Starbucks cup at Remus.</p><p>"Guess that leaves the bedroom for us, Duke," Virgil grinned and dragged his boyfriend off down the hall. Remus winked at the two on the couch as they disappeared from view.</p><p>"You better keep it down in there!" Roman shouted as the bedroom door shut with a click. He laughed to himself before turning back to Remy.</p><p>"Where were we, my sassy sweetheart?"</p><p>"Before your brother interrupted? Here," Remy pulled Roman in for another long kiss.</p>
<hr/><p>In the bedroom, Virgil sat on the bed curled into Remus, hand tracing along the other’s chest. Remus played with his hair, recognizing that Virgil didn’t want to get too carried away with the others in the house.</p><p>Virgil grabbed Remus' wrist and pulled the long sleeve away from his wrist. He hated seeing the "V" scar just below Remus' soul mark but seeing their matching 0's was always reassuring that they'd finally gotten it right.</p><p>"Whatcha thinking, emo daddy?" Remus' voice was soft but unmistakably flirty. </p><p>Virgil sighed, "you never should have had to deal with a terrible stupid soulmate like me."</p><p>"Hey! I happen to really like my terrible stupid soulmate, so uh, don't talk shit about him or I'll make you eat it," Remus grinned and gently tilted Virgil's face up to his, kissing the tip of his nose.</p><p>Virgil blushed and returned the kiss on the lips, glad they had all the time in the world to be together now.</p>
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